Document: Trump's Tweets Preclude Death Penalty in Saipov Case, Defense Argues

Mikhaila Fogel
Thursday, September 6, 2018, 2:34 PM

Attorneys for Sayfullo Saipov, who is accused of killing eight people and injuring 12 others in a vehicular terrorist attack in New York City last Halloween, have petitioned the government to preclude the death penalty again their client or appoint an independent prosecutor to decide whether the death penalty should be pursued.

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Attorneys for Sayfullo Saipov, who is accused of killing eight people and injuring 12 others in a vehicular terrorist attack in New York City last Halloween, have petitioned the government to preclude the death penalty again their client or appoint an independent prosecutor to decide whether the death penalty should be pursued. Saipov's defense team points to President Trump's comments on Twitter advocating what counsel describes as "nakedly political considerations":


Mikhaila Fogel was an associate editor at Lawfare and a research analyst at the Brookings Institution. She previously worked as a legislative correspondent for national security and foreign affairs issues in the Office of Sen. Susan Collins. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, where she majored in history and literature and minored in government and Arabic.

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